Smoke inspection device



oct, 1,1946. R. H. WAGE'R 2,408,495'

SMOKE INSPECTION DEVICE Filed Jun 19, 1945 A 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. l,1946.

R. H. wAGER 2,408,495

SMOKE INSPECTION DEVICE Filed June (L9, 1945 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedOct. 1,Y 1.946

UN 11T El? STATES BALTENT OFF!CE1!YA n $12,408,4v951`1... f" n SMOKEINSPECTION DEVICE Robert-Hudsonwager, Maplewood, N. J. jjjyIvp'gpli'anima.rune 19, 1945,'swarm.` coasts v The invention relates to'smoke inspection devices of the general type shown in my U. S. Pat-Ients 1,708,987of Aprill,v 1929; and 2,118,716 of May 24, 1938, in whicha beam of'light lis projected horizontally through the smoke leaving aboiler and is reflected within tubingby a plurality of mirrors to anobservation unit in the boiler room, the character of the smoke beingVisible by looking at the reection on the iinal mirror included'in saidobservation unit. TheV smoke reflection on this final mirror has beenclearly visible only from one observation station directly in front ofthe observation unit. It is the object of the present invention,however, to

provide an improved observation unit which does Y not require thefireman to walk periodically to the aforesaid observation station butenables him to also view the smoke reflection equally as well from otherpoints to the right and left of said station, thus permitting him `toobserve the char- I Fig. 3.

Fig. is an end elevation viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings above kbrieiiy described, the casing of the observationunii-l is denoted at 6,

said casing being in substantially `the form or an elbow with anupwardly open light inlet 'I and a liared horizontally open light outletS. The upper end of the casing is suitably adapted at 9 Yfor connectionwith the tubing (not shown) solaims. (cina-f1.4)

' central area II. The central area II in thepresl entI disclosure issubstantially triangular and has straight longitudinal edges I3vconverging .up-

wardly to a point I4. The lateral areas I2 have straight inneredges I5extending along the edges I3,`and the remaining edges of said areas IIand I2 are preferably curved toan elliptical outline. The areas II andI2, in the present disclosure, are on separate mirror sections I6, I'Iand I8 (Fig. 4) but a one-piecemirror could be provided, if desired.

Ay supporting plate I9 is provided for the mirror sections' I6, I `I andI8, said plate being recessed to receive said sections vand, to alsoreceive an appropriate mirror backing 20. The mirror sections andbacking are held in place by a `Asuitable frame 2I secured to the plateI9 by in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

screws or the like 22, this frame being omitted A ball and socket joint23 is shown for mounting the plate I9 in the casing 6 and permittingpivotal adjustment'in various directions. 'Ihis I rjoint is of theconstruction shown in the above mentioned patents and includes screws 24for adjusting, and for locking after adjustment.

From the foregoing and the accompanying drawings, it will be seen thatnovel provision has been made for carrying out the object of theinvention. Not only can a visual smoke inspection be made from a centralpoint in front of the casing 6 but from points to the right and left ofsaid central point, with obvious advantages.

While preferences'have -been disclosed, minor variations may be madewithin the scope of th invention as claimed. l

I claim: 1. AIn a smoke inspection device, an observation unitcomprising a casing having an upwardly open light inlet andahorizontally open light outlet,

within which the beam ofy light is downwardly reiiected after projectionthroughl the smoke leaving the boiler through the usualuptake orbreeching.

A plural-plane mirror III is mounted in the' casing 6 for interceptingthe downwardly reflected light beam entering through the inlet 'I andhorizontally reiiecting said beam through the outlet 8. The mirror I0comprises a flat inclined central reflecting area II Vand two flatllateral a plural-plane mirror in said casing for intercepting lightrays entering the casing through said inlet and reflecting said raysthrough said outlet, said mirror comprising a central flatlongitudinally inclined reflecting area having right and leftlongitudinal'edges, and two flat longi tudinally inclined lateralreflecting areas having inner longitudinal edges extending along saidlongitudinal edges of said central reflecting area,'said two lateralreecting areas |being inclined trans-` versely at an obtuse angle tosaid central reflect-v vrling area, whereby reflected rays vwill bevisible reflecting areas I2, said areas I2 being not only inclined'inthe same direction as the central area II but being transverselyinclined at an obtuse angle (preferably about 221/2 degrees) to saidyfrom a, central point in front of said light outlet and from points tothe right and left of said centra] point, and means mounting saidplural-plane mirror in said casing.

2. In a smoke inspection device, an observation unit comprising a casinghaving an upwardly open light inlet and a horizontally open lightoutlet, a plural-plane mirror in said casing for intercepting light raysentering the casing through said inlet and reflecting said rays throughsaid outlet, said mirror comprising a central at longitudinally inclinedreflecting area having right and left longitudinal edges which convergesubstantially to a point attone end of said central reflecting area, andtwo flat longitudinally inclined lateral reflecting areas having innerlongitudinal edges extending along said longitudinal edges of saidcentral reecting area, said two lateral reflecting areas being inclinedtransversely at an obtuse angle to said central reflecting area, wherebyreflected rays will be visible from a cenlight inlet and a horizontallyopen light outlet, a plural-plane mirror in said casing for interceptinglight rays entering the casing through said inlet and reecting said raysthrough said outlet, said mirror comprising a central flatlongitudinally inclined reflecting area having right and leftlongitudinal edges, and two flat lo-ngitudinally inclined lateralreflecting areas having inner longitudinal edges extending along saidlongitudinaledges of said central reecting area, said two lateralreflecting areas being inclined Y transversely at an obtuse angle tosaid central tral point in front of said light outlet and from v pointsto the right and left of said central point, and means mounting saidplural-plane mirror in said casing.

3. In a smoke inspection device, an observation unit comprising a casinghaving an upwardly open reiiecting area, whereby reflected rays will bevisible from a central point in front of said light outlet and fro-mpoints to the right and left of said central point, a supporting plateupon which said mirror is mounted, and a ball and socket joint mountingsaid supporting plate in said casing fork pivotal adjustment, said jointhaving 0 means for holding said supporting plate against accidentalmovement.

ROBERT HUDSON WAGER.

